Formula One: Hamilton returns to form in practice

After a disappointing Friday, series leader and defending champion Lewis Hamilton bounced back to top the times ahead of his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg in Saturday’s third and final free practice session ahead of Sunday’s British Grand Prix.

On a breezy morning under a clearing sky following overnight thunderstorms, the 30-year-old Briton clocked a best lap in one minute and 32.917 seconds to demonstrate his difficulties on the opening day had been resolved.

The two-time champion’s fastest lap was more than half a second quicker than Rosberg’s best set in the closing seconds after he had required repairs following a gearbox problem.

Finn Kimi Raikkonen, the 2007 champion, was third fastest for Ferrari ahead of his team-mate four-time champion German Sebastian Vettel, who was a second down on Hamilton, Dutch teenager Jos Verstappen and his Toro Rosso team-mate Spaniard Carlos Sainz.

Brazilian Felipe Massa was seventh ahead of his Williams team-mate Finn Valtteri Bottas with Russian Daniil Kvyat ninth for Toro Rosso and Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado 10th for Lotus.

The hapless McLaren Honda cars of Briton Jenson Button, the 2009 champion, and two-time champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso wound up in 16th and 18th places.

Hamilton holds a 10-points advantage ahead of Rosberg in the drivers’ title battle after eight of this year’s 19 races and will be seeking his eighth pole position of the season in qualifying later on Saturday.